The Football Faithful
·18 January 2026
Wolves vs Newcastle United – Match Preview and Team News

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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·18 January 2026

A resurgent Wolves aim to extend their unbeaten start to 2026 as they host Newcastle United at Molineux this Sunday afternoon.
The Old Gold enter the fixture with newfound confidence after picking up five points from their last three league games and a dominant 6-1 FA Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town. Newcastle United, meanwhile, are looking to build on a three-game winning streak in the Premier League, though they must bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
Rob Edwards has an almost full squad following a positive run of results. Emmanuel Agbadou is available after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, while Rodrigo Gomes and Ladislav Krejčí have both been passed fit. However, Marshall Munetsi has departed on loan to Paris FC, and Tanda Chirewa is sidelined with illness. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Toti Gomes remain unavailable despite returning to individual training.
The Magpies have been hit by a significant defensive crisis. Fabian Schär is out for approximately three months following ankle surgery, joining Emil Krafth, Tino Livramento, and Dan Burn on the injury list. Jacob Murphy is also sidelined with a hamstring issue sustained in midweek. While William Osula is nearing a return, this fixture is expected to come too soon for him.
Wolves are enjoying a resurgence in early 2026, remaining unbeaten in their last three Premier League games. After struggling late in 2025, Rob Edwards’ side has picked up critical points against top-tier opposition and recently dismantled Shrewsbury Town 6-1 in the FA Cup. Notably, Wolves have conceded more goals from high turnovers (6) than any other side this season, a vulnerability they must address against Newcastle’s high press.
Newcastle arrive at Molineux in strong league form, having won three consecutive Premier League matches to climb the table. Furthermore, they are looking to win their first three league games of a calendar year for the first time since 1996. However, the Magpies are coming off a morale-sapping 2-0 cup defeat to Manchester City and have shown defensive fragility late in matches, conceding 70% of their goals this season in the second half.
Wolves predicted XI: Sa; Mosquera, S. Bueno, Krejci; Tchatchoua, Arias, Mane, J. Gomes, H. Bueno; Arokodare, Hwang
Newcastle United predicted XI: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Guimarães, Tonali, Willock; Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting at 13:00 GMT ahead of the 14:00 kick-off.
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